Chapter 9

Of Free Will

1. God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting
upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature
determined to do good or evil.

Matthew But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done
17:12 unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

James Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted
1:13 with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
James But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
1:14

Deuteronomy I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you
30:19 life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy
seed may live:
Deuteronomy That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice,
30:20 and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy
days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,
to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

2. Man, in his state of innocency had freedom, and power, to will, and to do,
that which was good, and well-pleasing to God;

Ecclesiastes Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought
7:29 out many inventions.

but yet was mutable, so that he might fall from it.

Genesis And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the
3:6 eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,
and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
 3. Man, by his fall unto a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any
spiritual good accompanying salvation;

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God,
8:7 neither indeed can be.

so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good and dead in sin,

Ephesians And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:
2:1
Ephesians Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to
2:2 the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience:
Ephesians Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh,
2:3 fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of
wrath, even as others.
Ephesians But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
2:4
Ephesians Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye
2:5 are saved;)
Ephesians And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
2:6 Jesus:
Ephesians That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his
2:7 kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself or to prepare himself

thereunto.

Titus For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts
3:3 and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Titus But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
3:4
Titus Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved
3:5 us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Titus Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
3:6
Titus That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
3:7 life.

John No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise
6:44 him up at the last day.

4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, He
freeth him from his natural bondage under sin,

Colossians For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to
1:9 desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding;
Colossians That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good
1:10 work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Colossians Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and
1:11 longsuffering with joyfulness;
Colossians Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
1:12 inheritance of the saints in light:
Colossians Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the
1:13 kingdom of his dear Son:
Colossians In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
1:14
Colossians Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
1:15
Colossians For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible
1:16 and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all
things were created by him, and for him:
Colossians And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
1:17

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

and by His grace alone, enables him freely to will, and do that which is spiritually
good;
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

yet so that, by reason of his remaining corruptions, he doth not perfectly nor only
will that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.

Romans For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do
7:15 I.
Romans If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
7:16
Romans Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
7:17
Romans For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is
7:18 present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Romans For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
7:19
Romans Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
7:20
Romans I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
7:21
Romans For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
7:22
Romans But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
7:23 bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

5. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the
state of glory only.

Ephesians (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts
4:9 of the earth?
Ephesians He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he
4:10 might fill all things.)
Ephesians And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
4:11 pastors and teachers;
Ephesians For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
4:12 body of Christ:
Ephesians Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
4:13 unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Ephesians That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
4:14 every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they
lie in wait to deceive;
Ephesians But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head,
4:15 even Christ:
Ephesians From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every
4:16 joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,
maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.